[Exclusive] 2nd Head of National Forensic Service Appointed Internally... Woo Jong-su Named Chief of Gyeonggi Southern Police Agency

Head of Noodle Headquarters, Second Internal Appointment
Woo Jong-su, Southern Regional Chief, Experienced in 'Druking Investigation Command'

Woo Jong-su, Chief of the Southern Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency. / Photo by the National Police Agency

Woo Jong-su, Chief of the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency, has been nominated as the second head of the National Police Agency's Investigation Headquarters, overseeing police investigations. Following the withdrawal of prosecutor-turned-lawyer Jeong Soon-shin, the decision was made to select a candidate with investigative expertise from within the organization.

According to a comprehensive report by Asia Economy on the 26th, the National Police Agency and the government have chosen Chief Woo as the head of the Investigation Headquarters. The National Police Agency, Ministry of the Interior and Safety, and the Presidential Office are finalizing the appointment discussions and plan to announce the decision on the 27th.

This marks the second internal appointment since Nam Gu-jun, the inaugural head of the Investigation Headquarters in 2021. Considering the withdrawal of lawyer Jeong, internal morale, and other factors, the decision was made to proceed with an internal recruitment process. Previously, when lawyer Jeong resigned just one day after her appointment due to her son's school violence issue, there was strong public criticism directed at the Presidential Office and the police for their personnel vetting.

At a National Assembly session, Commissioner Yoon stated, "Since the situation changed due to lawyer Jeong's withdrawal, I expressed my opinion that it would be appropriate to find a capable person from within if possible," indicating a recommendation to the Presidential Office. The head of the Investigation Headquarters holds the rank of Police Commissioner General, and the Commissioner General of the National Police Agency can recommend candidates from either inside or outside the organization to the President.

Chief Woo, originally from Seoul, joined the police in 1999 through a special recruitment process after passing the 38th Administrative Examination. He has served as Chief of the Yongsan Police Station in Seoul, Personnel Officer, and Director of the Criminal Affairs Bureau at the National Police Agency. Known internally as an investigation expert, Chief Woo led the investigation into the "Druking" case in 2018 while serving as the head of the Investigation Division at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.